Built in 1970-71, Cape Smokey has delighted visitors with exceptional skiing from mountain to ocean along one of Canada’s most scenic and popular destination areas, after a lodge fire in 1979, the ski hill fell out of the spotlight. In the early 90’s, Ski Cape Smokey operated under the passion and perseverance of local community volunteers, until 2019, when the property was purchased by new owners with a vision to make Cape Smokey into a year-round adventure destination for outdoor enthusiasts of all kinds.
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Martin Kejval, CEO of Cape Smokey Holdings, is passionate about the outdoor experience travel market because outdoor activities are his passion in life – skiing, hiking, and being outdoors in general. While being the head of an outdoor exploration company doesn’t leave as much time as Martin would like for extracurriculars, he told us there’s nothing he enjoys more than “on a sunny, crisp day to be on the backcountry skiing in the highlands, for example, after a big powder storm.”
Originally from the Czech Republic, Martin’s professional background is in ski racing. He grew up in this environment, so skiing has always been a part of his life. This talent brought him to university and is what originally introduced him to the tourism industry. To a certain extent, he considers it a family business. His investment group also owns multiple ski hills in Europe.
To him, though, it doesn’t matter where the hills are located, which is how Martin ended up with Cape Smokey. “I have learned why Cape Bretoners love the island so much, why some never leave, and why so many who live away, long to come home.” He describes Cape Breton as a “spectacular place, it as though New Zealand and Hawaii had a child,” noting that “it’s absolutely gorgeous and stunning,”
Approximately 133,000 people visited the Highlands National Park between May and July with approximately 262, 500 travelling to the park from April 1st, 2023 to March 31st, 2024. However, according to these same Parks Canada stats, 80% of visitors travel the entire Cabot Trail in a single day. To Martin, that’s where the opportunity rests. Instead of spending a night or two and contributing to the local economy through accommodations, restaurants, and tourism experiences, as the majority of the people are driving through, maybe stopping for some gas and a quick bite to eat. The initial goal of Cape Smokey was to rectify that. And it was important that the community was on board because, as Martin says, “it’s not a one-man island” and experience or adventure tourism is about a community of operators collaborating to make memories to last a lifetime. “That’s the most important part. If we can entice people to stay one, two, or three nights, all these activities will turn into adventure possibilities. So, people are not just driving through the Cabot Trail but living it and enjoying it as a whole.”
Cape Smokey Holdings purchased the hill in October of 2019. The original ski hill closed in the early nineties, though a volunteer group worked hard to keep the hill open and operating for locals. Martin was very aware that a one-season attraction is a huge gamble, and how one bad weekend can damage the business, even irreparably. So, the company decided that Cape Smokey needed to be a year-round destination, and the transformation began.
It was important for Martin that Cape Smokey offered year-round employment. For one, that’s the best way to attract and keep talented team members without needing to train a new team every winter. More importantly, it supports the community by offering a number of jobs and connecting guests with locals who lead other activities.
For all of these reasons, Cape Smokey is more than just a place to stay, or even just a ski resort, it’s an all-season destination. When Martin ski raced, he got to ski everywhere from New Zealand to Japan, Europe, North America, and more. “I’ve seen a lot of these places and have experienced their ski resorts firsthand. And to be honest, most of the places are very one-dimensional.” Martin continues, “Some places have lots of snow and nice facilities, but there’s nothing to stand out. Others, you have a couple of activities, but you’re joining thousands of other people, and standing in line for the lift feels like standing in the middle of Times Square.”
“That’s the beauty of Ingonish as a whole. You feel like you are in the wilderness. You’re outside with the comforts of civilization.” At Cape Smokey, you’re surrounded by pure, untouched nature–not thousands of people waiting in the same line. And that’s part of what brings a different lens to the Cabot Trail. It’s a different product.
So, what makes skiing at Cape Smokey special? For one, the snow itself. On average, it gets six metres (~20 feet) of snow during the winter. Many European ski hills could only wish for that amount. The dry, cold air mixes with the moist air from the ocean, creating ideal snow for a ski hill. “Even just from a weather perspective and what kind of conditions it can create that’s also special,” Martin explains. “The snow and weather patterns which are here in Ingonish are perfect for snow. And this kind of snow doesn’t happen everywhere, and people travel all around the world to ski that kind of stuff.” The base elevation is five metres (~16 feet), and the Atlantic Ocean is 158 metres (500 feet) away. Meanwhile, a gondola trip to the summit offers a thousand-foot vertical drop, which is a rare find for ski enthusiasts. Even the trees in Cape Breton cooperate as the hardwood trees don’t create the wells that inexperienced skiers may fall into.
Another highlight is that Cape Smokey is positioned in the center of so many other outdoor adventure opportunities. There is so much more to do than just downhill skiing in Ingonish and the surrounding area. There are over 200 kilometres (125 miles) of groomed snowmobile trails, and a volunteer group grooms them nearly every day. There’s also Nordic skiing in the Aspy Bay area, where visitors can ski right on the beach. There is even winter surfing! In the warmer months, there’s mountain biking, hiking, kayaking, surfing, fly, and deep sea fishing to keep the outdoor adventure enthusiast going all year long.
Plus, the gondola that takes visitors to the summit of Cape Smokey for skiing operates all year long offering incredible views of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, the Atlantic Ocean, and Ingonish itself.
For those interested in arts and culture, there are concert series like the Celtic Colours International Festival, which is a unique celebration of Cape Breton Island’s traditional culture. For nine days each October, you’ll discover hundreds of events and activities taking place in communities all over the Island. The annual celebration of Cape Breton-based Gaelic music gives locals and visitors alike insight into this distinct and vibrant living culture, bringing the kitchen-ceilidh feel to the forefront. Fiddles and bagpipes, concerts and céilidhs, food and drink, Gaelic language and song, informality and hospitality to those that take in Cape Breton’s biggest kitchen céilidh! Plus, many other events for quality entertainment. Cape Smokey itself hosts the annual Smokey Sessions concert, this festival-style concert series features some of the most talented musicians in the Maritimes and, in fact, the country.
There’s no shortage of places to stay in and near Cape Smokey. They have partnered with many, like Lantern Hill and Hollow to offer packages together or the Keltic Lodge, which offers one of Cape Breton’s top restaurants, and nightly traditional music. There’s also Knotty Pine Cottages with breathtaking views of Ingonish Harbour and seasonal food at their on-site restaurant. For a more luxurious option, there’s Red Head Cliffs. Designed by internationally acclaimed architect Petr Kolar, this cliffside home has four bedrooms with king-sized beds, six bathrooms, and breathtaking views. It also boasts a media room, fitness room, game room, a library with more than 1,200 books, an interior garden, and so much more. Ingonish also has a variety of wonderful chalets, cabins, B&Bs, and more for visitors to choose from.
As for on-site accommodations, Martin says they are ambitiously working on that. “In the next seven years, we’re about building a thousand beds at the base of the ski hill, which will get us a step in the right direction.” Martin considers this to be the bare minimum, though it’s a number that might frighten other people. “That number will allow these outdoor activities to thrive and exist.” Some activities they’re hoping to expand into include scuba diving, fly fishing, sea expeditions, mountain coasters, and downhill mountain biking. “First you have to provide people the ability to stay, then you can add activities because you will never have time to do the activities if you have nowhere to stay.”
Although he’s a life-long skier, Martin’s favourite season in Cape Breton is actually autumn. “Between the ocean and the mountains, and all the weather’s right, because now we have fall colours. It’s that other season, you know? The third season, which is absolutely fantastic.” He also believes it’s Cape Breton’s most developed tourism season, and he hopes that Cape Smokey can encourage more visitors, no matter the season. “It’s already a wonderful place,” Martin explains, but he wants “to be able to show the beauty to more people than the people who already live here.” He also clarifies that it’s not necessarily about the number of tourists but ensuring that they stop and spend actual time in Ingonish.
That doesn’t mean Cape Smokey is not consistently growing though. In three winters, they’ve gone from two thousand to six thousand, to twenty thousand skier visits. And while it may not reach the numbers from larger resorts just yet, it shows excellent progression and that they’re on the right track. It’s clear that people appreciate the uniqueness of this Cape Breton gem. Between 8%-10% of the people who visit are from Toronto, Montreal, or Ottawa. While there are much more accessible options for them, they clearly view Cape Smokey as special enough to make the effort to visit.
The biggest goal of Cape Smokey Holdings is to encourage visitors to experience the towns they’re driving through on the Cabot Trail, including Ingonish. Martin ended our conversation with a statement that stuck with me, “To pass through without appreciating the nature, the people, and everything the communities have to offer, visitors are doing themselves a true disservice.” Cape Smokey is giving would-be drive-through visitors a place to land; a home base to explore from. And Martin is sure that when people take the time to appreciate it, they’ll love Ingonish as much as he does.
by Amanda Stellisano